NEW: Ciccone Wants Voters to Define Marriage

NEW: Ciccone Wants Voters to Define Marriage

In a move much-anticipated by those following the battle over same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, State Senator Frank A. Ciccone introduced legislation yesterday that would ask voters to define marriage.

Ciccone introduced the legislation on the same day that the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to send a bill by Rep. Arthur Handy to the full House floor that would legalize same-sex marriage for the first time in Rhode Island history.

Ciccone’s bill, S 0096, has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and, if approved, would add a new section to the state Constitution that defines marriage as the “ lawful union between one man and one woman, provided the recognition and definition of marriage shall not prohibit the recognition of a lawful civil union between two (2) members of the same gender.”

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The move is one supported by opponents of same-sex marriage and has been approved in a number of other states throughout the country.